A Surprising Hurt
by SeraphimeRising
Summary: No one expected this.
1. Chapter 1

**Warning: I don't own Harry Potter nor do I make any money.**

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**A Surprising Hurt**

No matter what she did, Tracey couldn't get her feet to move any faster as she weaved through the pedestrian traffic of Trafalgar Square. She had to get away from him and she figured with all the Muggles lingering or scurrying about this would be the perfect place.

Unfortunately like so many times since he had squirmed his way into her life: she was wrong.

She could hear him call her name as she pushed through the blur of people. Granted the people were only a blur because of the tears she was struggling to fight back. Finding her way blocked by a group of tourists, she looked frantically about for a quick escape only to feel his hand wrap around her elbow and spin her around.

"What is going on?" George asked frantically, his brown eyes wide and full of concern. She hadn't noticed until this moment that the haunted look that had lived there for so long was no where to be found; frozen in that realization she wondered just when that had happened and it made everything hurt even more.

In anguish she cried out as she tried to pull her arm away from him, "Why couldn't you just say 'I've found my own flat.' Five simple words. It's not hard. I've. Found. My. Own. Flat."

"What are you talking about?" his face incredulous as he tightened his grip on her.

"When were you going to tell me?" she shrieked, not caring that people were starting to stare at him. "Where you planning on just sneaking out in the middle of the night? I _know_ I'm the one who said for us to keep this casual and without strings but _I'm_ the one that dragged your arse out of the Leaky Cauldron, _I'm_ the one who made you go back to the store, _I'm_ the one that let you stay without paying rent or utilities or even food, _I'm_ the one who convinced you to eat instead of drink. So when where you going to tell me that after two years you went and found your own flat? You know the one above the store?"

Tracey watched as the colour fell away from George's face as he let go of her arm. She saw the haunted look return to his face; the emptiness to his eyes; the sorrow to his body. Warm tears fell down her face as she watched him back away from her before disappearing into the swirling crowd.

She felt so stupid, so foolish for believing that _she_ actually meant something to him. Before long she was balling and embarrassingly, in the middle of Trafalgar Square, she fell to her knees.


	2. Chapter 2

**warning: I don't own Harry Potter nor do I make any money.**

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**The Aftermath**

"Pansy are you there?"

Hearing Ron's voice come through her Floo at two in the afternoon while she was at work at the Ministry caused her to drop what she was doing and rush over, especially since she thought he was on patrol today for the Auror's. With him being a freshly minted Auror, they hardly saw each other during the work days anymore.

"What's the matter?" she asked, trying to sound calm and collected when she was feeling anything but.

"Do you think you could come home for the rest of the afternoon?"

Looking at his face in the Floo like he had lost his mind, she gave a shake of her head before saying, "It's two in the afternoon Ron. Aren't you suppose to be on patrol?"

"Yes, and that's why I'm at the flat, so can you come home now?"

"Ron, why does your patrol...you didn't get hurt did you?"

"No," he sighed, exasperated. Giving her a firm look, he continued, "Look, I need you to come home. I don't want to explain over a Floo connection."

"Ron..."

"Fine, it's Tracey," he said cutting her off. "Will you come home _now_?"

Standing up, though she felt weak in the knees, she responded, "Let me just tell Hermione I need to pop out for a bit."

"Please just hurry."

Hearing the desperation in his voice, she took off for Hermione's office, praying that Hermione had gotten over the bad blood that had resulted from her break up with Ron and his ensuing relationship with Pansy. She had never understood where the bad blood had come from as Hermione had left Ron six months before they had gotten together; however, a little over two years later she was still walking on eggshells with Ron's ex. Pansy knew she needed to get home quickly and an ensuing argument with Hermione wasn't going to get her home any quicker.

Seeing Hermione at her desk, Pansy politely knocked on the door and gently asked, "Hermione, could you cover for me for a bit, I need to step out for an emergency?"

Hermione looked up from her pile of paperwork. Pansy fought the urge to squirm under Hermione's careful study before she finally asked, "Is everything okay?"

"No," Pansy replied quickly. "I don't have any specifics but I just need to go."

Pansy held her breath as Hermione's face softened before returning to her paperwork and dismissing Pansy with, "I'll just see you tomorrow."

"Thanks Hermione," Pansy responded before running back to her office to grab her things and head to the public apparition point.

Arriving to the flat she shared with Ron, she didn't know what to expect when she opened the door but Ginny using the Floo in their living room and Ron carrying a crying Tracey back to what she assumed was their bedroom - wasn't it. She nodded in reply when he gestured for her to follow him with his head.

Dropping her purse by the door as she closed it, she did as he silently asked as he carried Tracey back to their bedroom and put her on the bed. Pansy had never seen Tracey so utterly destroyed before as the young woman rolled over and pulled the closest pillows to her, burying her face in them.

Pansy mouthed, "What is going on?"

Ron stepped back over to her, and whispered in her ear, "I don't know. Harry and I found her bawling in the middle of Trafalgar Square during patrol. She wouldn't tell us what was the matter, so we brought her back here. Only to find out that George was doing a number at the Leaky Cauldron. Harry's out with Percy and Neville right now trying to track him down."

"What do you want me to do?" she whispered, her hand moving up to caress his jawline.

"See if you can find out what happened? I'm going to go help the others with George. Ginny will stay here. Let me know if you figure out anything."

"Okay," she whispered before standing on her toes to gently kiss his lips. "Go find him."

After he left the room, Pansy toed off her heels and crawled into bed on her side so she could face Tracey. Gently, she reached her hand up and brushed Tracey's golden brown hair out of her face and whispered, "Tracey what happened?"

She really didn't expect an answer that easily but she hadn't expected Tracey's cries to become wails. In response, Pansy made shushing noises with her mouth as she continued to stroke Tracey's hair trying to calm her. She waited several minutes until Tracey's wails had subsided again before she repeated her question.

This time she had more success as she barely made out, "he found a flat" in between Tracey's gasps and cries. Now she was really confused, George and Tracey had basically been living together for two years since she turned out to be the one person who seemed to get through the impenetrable shell George had built up around himself. Pansy had tried to talk to Tracey multiple times about the status of her relationship with George but Tracey kept swearing that it was nothing serious, only casual - though there wasn't a single member of the Weasley clan that had believed that in well over a year.

Softly Pansy pressed, "What do you mean he found a flat?"

"Daphne...said...he...took the...flat...above the...shop."

Making sure she just heard her best friend right, "This is about the flat above the shop?"

"You knew about it? I thought you were my best friend," Tracey screeched before pushing her face into the pillow. Pansy tried to touch her but Tracey just pushed her off until finally she lifted her head and screamed, "How could you? How could you not tell me?"

"Tracey, please listen..." Pansy started as gently and calmly as possible but evidently Tracey was too far gone in her misery to even _try_ to start listening to Pansy because she just started to yell, "Get out. Just get out. Leave me alone."

Sighing, Pansy pulled herself out of the bed and saw Ginny standing in the doorway. She watched Ginny walk back down towards the front of the flat before following herself after exiting the room and closing the door.

She hadn't even stepped into the living room when Ginny quietly asked, "How are we suppose to explain to her that that flat was his and Fred's, if he's never told her?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor do I make any money.**

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**Daemons**

Apparating to Diagon Alley, Ron took a look around trying to decide where his brother may have gone. He hadn't heard from anyone yet so he assumed they were still looking for George. Ron figured he would take a look around first before going in search of the others.

A waving hand in the distance caught his eye, looking back in that general direction he saw Verity just outside the shop waving her hands.

He started in her direction, figuring that Harry or someone had left him a message. Getting closer though, he noticed a panicked look on her face that took him from his brisk pace to a full out run.

"What is it?" he asked when he was close enough to her not to yell. From this distance, he could clearly see not only panic but fear in her eyes which were glassy fromunshed tears.

"George showed up a few minutes ago. He's in the flat. I had to close the shop be..." Ron didn't let her finish before quickly saying, "Send something to Harry and let him know I'm here," and running into the shop.

The minute his feet hit the floor of the shop, he could hear the crashing that was coming from upstairs, spurring him to move faster as he weaved through the store to get to the back stairs. When he got to the top of the stairs he didn't stop but lowered his shoulder and crashed through the door.

An overwhelming stench, reminding him that no one had probably been in the flat in two years, knocked him back a bit before a loud crash of glass breaking brought him back to reality. Running towards the sound, he found George sitting on the floor in what had been Fred's room amidst shards of glass, blood covering his hands, face, and clothing.

"George," Ron gasped and ran to his brother who just looked at him blankly. A look he hadn't seen since Tracey had taken responsibility for George. Falling to his knees, Ron grabbed his brother by the face and pleaded, "Talk to me. George."

Unfortunately, George just continued to stare at him. Ron had the worst feeling that George didn't see him. He sent a quick patronus to Harry for help before turning his attention back to his brother.

"George," he pleaded. "Please talk to me. What happened?"

Ron heard the sound of apparition popping and turned to look to the doorway, watching for the others when a soft haunted voice said, "I thought she understood."

Spinning his head around, Ron stared at his brother, hoping he would explain. Ron was tired of the guessing game Tracey and his brother were forcing everyone to play today. The sounds of footsteps down the hall though was the only sound he heard.

"What happened?" Harry's voice filtered into the room.

"Your guess is good at mine," Ron replied with a sigh. "Give me a hand. We need to get him to St. Mungo's."

"Do you want me to go get Tracey?" Neville asked coming into the room also to give a hand in moving an almost catatonic George.

"Gone."

Harry, Ron, and Neville stopped where they were to look at George.

"What do you mean?" Ron said gently, hoping that this meant they might get to the bottom of this.

"She's gone."

Ron shook his head and whispered, "No she's not. She's at my flat with Pansy. Crying."

"Gone."

"No she's not George."

"Just like Fred."

"No not just like Fred," Ron pleaded. "She's at my flat."

"Not here."

"I'll go get her," Neville whispered while Harry added, "I'll go call in a favor at St. Mungo's."

Ron just nodded as he heard their footsteps disappear. Gently, he told George, "No she's not here but Neville is going to go get her."

"Alone."

"No you aren't. I'm here and soon Tracey will be here."

"Broken."

"What's broken George?"

"Me."

"No you're not."

"Nothing left."

"You have Tracey. And me and Pansy. Harry and Ginny. Lee and Angelina. Mum and Dad. Bill. Charlie. Percy. You have all of us George."

"Just this flat."

"No, George," Ron said firmly. "You have more than..."

"George!" Tracey's panicky voice stopped him in his tracks. He barely had time to get out of the way before she had launched herself George and wrapping her arms around him. "Oh Merlin, what happened? Are you okay? I'm so sorry. I thought you were going to leave me. Oh George."

Ron moved backwards and got to his feet, wanting Tracey to take it from here. Looking over to the doorway, he expected to see Pansy. Actually he wanted to see her. He needed to wrap her up in his arms to help make the stress of the day go away. But she wasn't there. Only Ginny, who was being pushed aside as Harry entered with a healer from St. Mungo's.

Moving out of the way and closer to Ginny, he leaned over and asked, "Where's Pansy?"

Ginny shrugged her shoulders and whispered, "Something about putting someone in their place. She said she wouldn't be long," before she tucked into Harry's side as all three watched the healer attend to George while he kept staring at Tracey and she kept whispering words they couldn't here while gently caressing his face.


	4. Chapter 4

**Warning: I don't own Harry Potter nor do I make any money.**

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**Payback's A Bitch and so is Pansy Parkinson**

Sauntering into Merlin's at a little before three, Pansy tried her best not to smirk as she saw Daphne Greengrass sitting at the bar having her daily two glasses of wine after spending as much of Theo's money as possible before he got off of work. With a quick flick of her wrist, she sent a message to Theo asking him to see her immediately at Merlin's, that it was an emergency.

Well, it wasn't an emergency - not yet at least. She figured she had five minutes to set Daphne up before allowing the bitch to ruin her own life and engagement. Quickly, she moved over to the bar and commandeered the seat to the right of Daphne which would force her her back to the entry of Merlin's, so she wouldn't see Theo enter until it was too late.

"Mind if I join you," Pansy smoothly asked, noting the champagne Daphne was holding in her hand, "What are we celebrating today?"

"Oh nothing much," Daphne smirked back. "Did you get off work early? I normally never see the plebeians in here before five."

Holding her tongue regarding that jab, Pansy smiled serenely and responded, "I took the afternoon off. I have a surprise planned and needed time to set it up."

"Oh," Daphne giggled. "Does it involve Ronald?"

"Actually, no it doesn't," Pansy replied. "It's for someone else."

"I take it that you finally have realized you could do so much better than him. It's about time you know." Pansy really wanted to smack that snide smirk off Daphne's face but just kept smiling as sweetly as she could muster.

Biting her lip, as casually and innocently as possible, she instead chose to respond to Daphne with, "I'm surprised to hear you say that to be honest with you."

"Why?" Daphne retorted, finishing her drink. "All the Weasley boys may be good looking but they really have nothing else going for them."

"What about George?" Pansy asked, seeing Theo enter Merlin's. "I always thought you said he was a keeper."

"Oh he's definitely a keeper. Good looking and money. What I wouldn't do to get him away from that half-blood trash?" Daphne sneered, taking the new flute of champagne she was being offered from the bartender.

"What about Theo?" Pansy asked, putting on her best horrified look as she saw Theo ground to a quick stop behind his fiancee.

"What about him?"

"I seem to have the impression that that massive diamond you demanded he purchase for you on the occasion of your engagement, meant that you no longer wanted George Weasley and you were going to finally leave him and Tracey alone."

"Oh honey, how sweet - I think you have been hanging around the Weasley's for too long. Just because Theo put a diamond on my finger doesn't mean that I won't bed George Weasley."

"You know, I was also under the impression that Theo loves you," Pansy mentioned, her eyes on Theo who was clearly starting to see red the longer he stood behind his supposed fiancee.

"Oh the poor fool does," Daphne grinned.

"No the poor fool did," Theo growled in Daphne's ear. Pansy watched as the smile and smirk fell off Daphne's face.

Jumping up from her stool, Pansy quickly said, "It's clear that you two need to talk. I'll see you later Theo," before starting to walk off. Unfortunately, she didn't get far before she turned and walked back to Daphne and added quietly in her ear, "Fuck with Tracey again and I'll will take away more than your fiancee. We clear."

Smiling innocently towards Theo, she said, "Give me a call later if you want to talk. I'm more than happy to fill you in on what Daphne has done to try and get George Weasley for her own."

Turning back around, she strolled out of Merlin's and half-way down Diagon Alley before she allowed herself to whoop in pleasure. She always knew that Daphne's arrogance would come back to bite her in the proverbial arse and Pansy was only to glad to make it happen.

After completing an impromptu happy dance in front of everyone on Diagon Alley, she Apparated back to her and Ron's flat with a smile on her face to check on Pansy and see if the boys had found George yet. She had expected to see Ginny still sitting on the sofa where she had left her but it was empty. Hearing doors open and close in her and Ron's bedroom, she headed back there to figure out what was going on.

Pansy was taken back by two things as she looked in her bedroom: one there was no Tracey on her bed, and two Ron appeared to be packing frantically for the both of them.

"Is everything okay?" she asked. Pansy had no time to brace herself as he dropped what he was doing and ran to her before wrapping her in his arms and picking her up. In response, she wrapped her arms and legs around him, burying her face into his long red hair that had come undone from his normal tie at some point. Quietly, she whispered, "What's happened? Is George okay? Where's Tracey?"

"Tracey is with George," he murmured into her hair as he clung tightly to her. Pansy place a gentle kiss on his neck trying to comfort him, though she knew it would take more than that to do the job; there was just only so much she could do when he was holding onto her like this.

Gently, she tried again, "Where are they?"

"At Grimmauld Place. He's in bad shape."

"What happened?" she pushed, hoping he would continue but knowing if he didn't then she would just let him hold her for as long as he needed.

"Besides basically being catatonic, he cut himself badly. The healer from St. Mungo's healed them but he doesn't want him left alone."

Pansy hugged him tighter but didn't say anything. After a few minutes, she whispered, "Let me finish packing for us and we can get going. I'll Owl Hermione and try to take off the rest of the week."

"You don't..."

"I know but I want to," she whispered, kissing him the cheek before adding, "It's going to be okay. We'll all get him through this."

She felt him squeeze her hard again before he whispered, "What did I ever do to deserve you?"

With a soft giggle, she whispered back, "You know that's my line."

"By the way, do I even want to know where you were?"

Pansy leaned back to look at him as she playfully smirked. "It should be on the front page of _The Daily Prophet_tomorrow. By the way, do you know if Hermione is seeing someone? I know someone who is suddenly single and I think she may be good for him."

"What did you do?"

"Me? I did nothing," she said, smiling innocently but as he narrowed his eyes at her, she added, "Okay I may have pushed her in. But I maintain she dug her own grave all by herself."

"Pansy..."

"Remember you love me," she teased before grabbing his face and kissing him hard; hoping that he would let the subject drop. Fortunately, he let more than the subject drop to her pleasure as they christianed the floor of their bedroom which she realized later was long overdue.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor do I make any money.**

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**Home**

Curling up on the sofa in the first floor drawing room at Grimmauld Place, Tracey rested her chin against the arm as the sofa as she looked at nothing in particular. She simply enjoyed the peace that enveloped her as she sat there by herself for the first time in several days: Ron and Pansy were upstairs in their room testing out their new bed as well as the new silencing charms that she, Harry and Ginny had insisted they find; while Harry and Ginny had ventured out of the house to do some shopping as well as a quiet afternoon tea together; and George had fallen asleep after spending a few hours working on a new prototype – the first time he had actually touched his work since their misunderstanding.

As her mind briefly touched on that, she tried not to chide herself for over-reacting like she had that had sent not only her and George into a tailspin but dragged Ron and Pansy and Harry and Ginny down with it. She knew she should have realized that Daphne was only taking yet another stab at Tracey trying to get in between George and her but looking back, the idea of George moving out of what she hadn't realized she considered their flat had proved to be too much. Too much pain had erupted in her chest, too much hurt had lodged in her throat as she had stood their while Daphne kept talking, insinuating, pushing her to the edge until she finally took a running leap in.

She tried not to blame herself as her mind drifted to the scene in the flat she now knew that George had shared with Fred before his death; the flat that had become his prison afterwards until she had volunteered to take him back to her flat after Ron, Pansy, and George had had too much to drink; the night he moved in and hadn't left. Her mind replayed hurrying down the hallway trying to get to him, Neville's words that George was hurt playing over and over in her mind; thinking how she caused it, how it no longer matter – she couldn't lose him. Seeing him in that bedroom, his eyes glazed and distant, staring at Ron as Ron tried to get George to focus on him; she couldn't have stopped herself even as she wanted to and launched herself at George, pushing Ron out of the way.

Her mind replayed all the promises she made him as he just stared at her; stared at her like she was some miracle as she told him she was sorry and promised him that she belonged to him; that she would help him, take care of him; that being able to wake-up to his bad singing while he made breakfest meant the world to her; that she not only wanted him, but needed to have him in her life, and most importantly that she loved him. It hadn't mattered that he never said anything in return, or that there had not been any comprehension in his eyes as she confessed her soul to him. All that had mattered was getting him into bed that night and curling up next to him, whispering again that she loved him; and to find in the morning, him curled up next to her, his arm draped over her up body, his leg over hers, pinning her to the bed – the way she had woken up every morning since she teasingly had promoted him from the couch to her bed; and when he whispered 'I love you' in her ear as she started to stir, she just smiled and pushed further back into his body – wanting this moment to last forever.

«I was wondering where you had gone.» George's soft baritone called out to her. Smiling she turned her head to look at him. Wordlessly, she marveled at the peaceful look on his face that had slowly been coming back, the spark of life that glimmered softly in the distance of his eyes, the timidness she remembered him expressing as he healed the first time.

«I didn't want to disturb you,» she explained softly as he moved closer to where she was curled up on the couch. «Did you sleep well?»

«As well as I could with the thumping from next door and you not by my side.» Her ears found the light teasing in the undertones of his voice melodius; **the** sign to her that her George may come back to her after all, maybe not in one piece but close enough to make the worry go away.

Groaning softly, she said, «I thought we told them to find a new silencing charm.»

«I don't think we took into account our beds back up to the _same_ wall.»

«Oh,» she moaned as he took a seat on the floor by her. Looking at him closer, she reached out her hand to caress his face; it was as if the peacefulness she saw there wouldn't be truely recognized as existing unless she somehow could feel him, feel it for herself. «Maybe we should send them back to their flat?»

«Actually,» George drawled, nuzzling into her hand though his brown eyes never left her face, «Besides trying to figure out how to bottle their sex life and make a fortune off of it, I was wondering if we could just go home. I really want to lay on our couch, have dinner in our kitchen, and sleep in our bed.»

Tracey's eyes started to burn as she clearly heard everything he implied. As a tear fell from her eyes, she whispered, «I thought you would never ask. I can be packed in thirty minutes.»

«I actually already packed and sent our things to the flat.»

Tracey softly laughed and asked, «One of these days you will ask me something before it becomes an afterthought.»

She was leaning in to softly kiss him when she heard, «So I should ask you to marry me now before I tell you we have an appointment at the Ministry at nine in the morning tomorrow for the ceremony?»

Taken back, all Tracey could do was stare at George and see everything she ever wanted to see in his eyes. Laughing before stealing a quick kiss, she said, «Well that's a start. But next time, a little more of a head's up would be nice.»

«But where is the fun in that?»

Tracey just shook her head and thanked every deity she could think of before letting out a laughing sigh, and saying, «You know your mother is going to kill us.»

«She'll get over it,» George laughed before leaning in and whispering, «So about going home?»


End file.
